Columbia business owner raises concerns over new state CBD measure

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A small business owner in Columbia claims a sweeping cannabis bill will put him out of business. 

Ethan Jones dealt with chronic pain issues for six years after going undiagnosed with Lyme disease. Rather than using traditional pain medication, Jones instead turned to CBD products. He now sells those same products to customers seeking alternatives to traditional medications. 

“This is something I've been selling for years now, and I mean it's incredible when it comes to joints swelling, something I deal with myself from having lupus because of my Lyme disease,” Jones said. 

MindRight Wellness -- a downtown Columbia business owned and operated by Jones -- sells products marketed as therapeutic alternatives for pain, sleep, anxiety, focus and energy. He has owned the business for six years and says CBD products result in more than $4,000 a month in sales. 

“Most of my customers here who are shopping for CBD are a lot of times older folks who are dealing with rheumatoid arthritis issues,  major sleep disorders, or just cannot get to sleep. And they're looking for some kind of relief because they've gone through the whole gamut,  been on a bunch of different medications. Nothing's really helped them, and they found really great relief with the CBD,” Jones said. 

However, come November, Jones says he will no longer be in business, thanks to House Bill 2641. The bill sponsored by Rep. Dave Hinman (R- St. Charles) is set to head to Gov. Mike Kehoe's desk. The measure would tighten regulations on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, effectively requiring many of them to be sold only through the state’s licensed marijuana dispensaries.

As a result, convenience stores, bars and restaurants statewide would be banned from selling THC seltzers and other intoxicating hemp products. 

Supporters of the bill argue it is necessary to regulate a rapidly growing and largely unregulated market. Andrew Mullins, executive director of MoCannTrade, said the measure prioritizes safety and aligns Missouri with federal efforts.

“From Day 1 of this session, Gov. Kehoe and legislative leaders have made protecting the health and public safety of Missourians a clear priority. Law enforcement has long wanted these untested, untaxed, unlicensed, intoxicating products off the shelves," Mullins said in a statement. "This public safety legislation aligns Missouri law with the new federal law banning these products and providing a crystal clear bright line between what is legitimate hemp and what is in fact marijuana."

Under HB 2641, many hemp-derived cannabinoid products -- including those commonly sold as CBD -- would be reclassified as marijuana, if they meet certain criteria. That would place them under Missouri’s existing cannabis regulations, meaning they could only be manufactured and sold by licensed marijuana dispensaries. 

The bill also includes strict enforcement measures. Businesses that continue to sell those products outside the regulated system could face a $5,000 fine per transaction and a potential Class D felony charge.

While it targets high-THC hemp products, its definitions could also affect full-spectrum CBD products that contain trace amounts of THC. As a result, the bill could impact an estimated 40,000 businesses statewide, including small, independent retailers like Jones.

“This will cut into over about 20% of my sales, and eventually this will lead me to having to close my doors. I help a lot of the older folks here in their community. These are products that don't make people high, this is 100% for relief,” Jones said. “They're making it 100% illegal for any small store to sell any type of cannabis product and funneling all of those sales directly to dispensaries who are typically owned and operated from out of state.” 

If signed into law, the changes would take effect in November 2026, giving businesses time to adjust. But Jones said that may not be enough.

“We're on a huge email call campaign. I have stacks of letters, handwritten letters from my customers urging to veto this bill, because, again, let me reiterate that this is something that has already gone through the Senate. This is on Mike Kehoe’s desk. If we do not get this bill vetoed, this will make it illegal for us to sell CBD products,” he said.

Beyond his own business, Jones said the ripple effects would be felt across communities that rely on accessible, lower-cost alternatives to dispensary products.

“I understand there are people selling products that are super questionable in places that are already super questionable.  So, for legitimate operators like myself who sell legitimate products that are not being advertised to kids, because that's the story always being spun,  it makes no sense,” Jones said. “I won't even be able to sell my grandma a muscle rub because again, that would be a felony.”